Churches host local events in conjunction with governor's day of prayer

Sara HigginsMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 9:45 am, Thursday, August 4, 2011

As some Texans await a divine answer to repeated prayers for rain, Gov. Rick Perry has encouraged Christians to gather to seek help from God on national issues.

Perry invited "people of all ages, races, backgrounds and Christian denominations" as well as national Christian and political leaders "to proclaim Jesus as Savior and pray for America" on Saturday at Houston's Reliant Stadium during The Response, according to the event's website. The free event will include prayer and fasting in a solemn effort to call on God to answer needs caused by financial debt, terrorism and natural disaster.

Perry's call to prayer has inspired churches to act locally this weekend. True-Lite Christian Fellowship Church in Midland will host a live simulcast of the event from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Midland Ministerial Alliance will hold a community-wide prayer gathering Sunday at Centennial Plaza. The Rev. Art Perkins, pastor of The Gathering at Midland and president of the Ministerial Alliance, said the group is expecting a few hundred people to show up for the free event, which starts at 7 p.m.

"Our main emphasis that night will be to pray for the needs of our community," he said. Though some of those needs will be spiritual, he added, Midland's most obvious physical need at this time is for rain.

"We know God hears our prayers," he said. "We're not here to manipulate and twist his hands in asking for rain. We'll pray not that he will hear, but that others will hear and seek his response."

The Rev. Terry Pierce of the First Church of the Nazarene in Odessa thought about making his own reservations to attend Perry's event in Houston, but decided to find a way to share the experience with others. A bus with 57 full seats will leave Odessa late tonight in time to attend the event Saturday, then head back from the stadium to arrive in the early hours of Sunday, Pierce said. People from several churches in Odessa signed up for the free ride, which Pierce said was funded by a few local businessmen.

"I believe it's a real possibility that God will really break in on us and there will be some exciting spiritual things that happen," Pierce said.

Perry's event has stirred debate about separation of church and state, causing some groups to take action in opposition. The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against Perry in July for allegedly violating the Establishment Clause. The group did not want to bar Perry's attendance at the event, according to the lawsuit, but rather obtain "an order prohibiting the defendant from engaging in official sponsorship of religion." Perry did issue a May 23 proclamation from his office for the event, which cited texts from the Bible. The lawsuit was thrown out July 28 as a district judge ruled the group did not have standing to sue.

Using the governor's official letter head and website to promote a Christian-only event likely most would be a violation of separation of church and state, according to Midland College dean of social and behavior sciences William Morris. On the other hand, he believes the governor's intents are more political than religious in nature.

"It simply has to do with building his conservative base as he prepares to run for either president or vice president," Morris said. "His attitude and his remarks are just politics; they have nothing to do with the Constitution."

Midland Mayor Wes Perry said he doesn't find it possible in his own life to separate his identity as a government official from that as a Christian.

"I applaud Gov. Rick Perry for what he's doing," he said, adding he will be attending the Ministerial Alliance event Sunday.

The mayor said he does make an effort when doing official business on behalf of the city not to overstep any boundaries. He does attend religious events throughout the year, though, and issued his own proclamation in April for Midland to unite in prayer.

"My responsibility is to be true to my own faith and religion, and at the same time be accepting of others and hopefully share what I believe in my heart with everybody," he said. "The way I think about it is that my responsibility as a Christian is to treat others like I'd want to be treated."

Midlanders and Texans alike will be praying this weekend not only for their needs, Perkins said, but also to give thanks to God, regardless of the outcome.

"God loves to move in times of desperation," Perkins said. "Not to prove himself, but to show love to his people."